General Motors
National Retiree Association
Over The Hill Car People
Established 2003
"There is no such thing as an
unimportant customer - Including GM Retiree's!"
Updated
10-15-08
Hello GM Folks!
We are pleased to announce a
new service that we feel will be very beneficial to Over The Hill Car People
members. We are providing a company that is similar to
Extend Health for your consideration.
My Part D USA, will be available to you
NOW for all of your questions concerning
Medicare Plans ( Medicare Supplemental/Medigap Plans, Medicare Advantage Plans,
and Medicare Part D/Drug Plans. They can make Medicare Plan comparisons for you
NOW. They will
also be able to assist you with your 2009 Medicare enrollment in November 2008
if you choose, just as
Extend Health can. All services provided by
My Part D USA are done FREE of charge
to you!
Please understand they are
not necessarily
a replacement for Extend Health and
you should continue with your plans to listen to Extend Health's
recommendations, as GM has requested.
My Part D USA is available, so you as members, of Over The Hill Car People
will have another source to utilize before you make your final decision
as to which Medicare Plan is best for you. You can also visit
www.medicare.gov for additional information concerning all Medicare
decisions. Additional Medicare Health Care information can be found at this
link:
http://overthehillcarpeople.com/medicarethingstoconsiderletter100708.htm .
My Part D USA contact information
is as follows and they are available
NOW for
your questions.
Office Toll Free #:
1-866-752-1795
Fax: 1-423-752-1796
Web Site:
http://mypartdusa.com/
All services provided by
My Part D USA are done FREE of charge
to you! We would appreciate your feed back about the
FREE services of this company. Please send an e-mail to
spoacdc1@aol.com and let us know what you
think of the services you were provided by
My Part D USA.
You can visit our "Discussion
Bulletin Board" and learn more about
My Part D USA . You can also read their articles and post your questions to
My Part D USA . They will monitor the "Discussion
Bulletin Board" forum and post a reply to your questions.
We hope this will be of
assistance to you with all of the tough decisions you are being required to make
due to GM canceling your Health Benefits for 2009. Overthehillcarpeople.com is
providing this as a service only and does not endorse or dispute any comments
made by
Extend Health ,
My Part D USA or
www.medicare.gov . We are not an insurance company, nor are we experts on
Medicare or any other subject for that matter. You should consult with all
resources available to you so YOU can make the most informed decisions
that are best for your individual Health Care needs.
Best Regards,
Jack Dickinson
spoacdc1@aol.com
www.overthehillcarpeople.com
This is a list
of things
to consider BEFORE you enroll in a Medicare Plan!
Hopefully,
this information will help you make the
best decisions for YOUR health care (Medicare Supplemental Plans
-
also called Medigap
plans) and (Medicare Part D)
prescription plans.
1.
A ONE – SIZE – FITS - ALL approach is not the way to make a decision. Do not
take the first plans that are offered to you by Extend Health or any other
insurance sales company.
Remember, anyone (and
we mean, anyone) trying to sell you a Medicare Plan policy does so because
they make a commission on what they sell you.
Some plans, such as Medicare Advantage Plans, may bring higher commissions.
2.
Not all Medicare Part D plans (prescription drug plans) are the same. There are
over 50 plans in each state. You must choose your drug plan based on your
individual needs and the actual drug names that you use. If you take a generic,
look up the generic name and make a list of all the drugs you take now. If you
are not taking a generic, you might want to contact your doctor to see if your
medication comes in a generic form. If so, have him change your prescription to
the generic drug.
3.
At some point you must make a comparison of the Medicare Part D drug
plans based on the drugs you take. You should make a list now so you will have
it during the AEP (AEP - time period you can enroll in Medicare Programs),
beginning Nov. 15 - Dec. 31st. You can also go to
www.medicare.gov and make a comparison of plans now so you will be more
informed when the Extend Health agent contacts you.
Important
– you DO NOT
have to use
Extend Health,
My Part D USA
or any other insurance sales company to enroll in any
Medicare Plans!!!! This can be done by contacting the insurance company direct
or by visiting
www.medicare.gov
and choosing your plans. However, we do believe it is in
your best interest to listen to what
Extend Health, and
My Part D USA
has to say. If you do not
agree, then take the actions above or let us know and we will try to assist you
to get enrolled before December 31, 2008!
4.
Beginning January 1, 2009, if you do not have a Medicare Part D Plan that covers
all drugs (covers the “Donut Hole Gap”), and all drug cost, buy as many of your
drugs from retail outlets as possible. Over 400 drugs are listed on Wal-Marts
generic drug list for $4 for a 30 day supply or $10 for a 90 day supply. You
can also go to other large retailers if you don’t like Wal-Mart. There is a list
of other retailers posted at this link
http://www.overthehillcarpeople.com/drugsgogenericfree081608.htm . This
information will help to keep you OUT of the “DREADED DONUT HOLE” longer in
2009.
5.
The "Donut Hole" = Explanation = When you purchase
a Part D Medicare Drug Plan you will pay the first $295.00 which is called a
deductible. After that your covered drugs are paid for up to $2,700.00, less
co-pays. Once the $2,700.00 is reached you fall into what is called the
"Donut Hole." Which means you will pay all of your
drug cost until you reach $4,350. At that point the "Donut
Hole" is gone and your Medicare Part D plan will pay for your covered
drugs, less co-pays. There are Medicare Part D drug plans
that DO COVER the
“DREADED DONUT HOLE”
so ask
Extend Health and/or other
insurance sales companies about those plans!!!
When your doctor prescribes a new medication for you, ask him for a generic
drug. Second, ask him for samples, or get a 5 or 10 day supply. The
reason is, you may not be able to take the new med because of the side effects
or it may simply not work for you. Every prescription you purchase goes
TOWARD YOUR FALLING INTO THE
“DREADED DONUT HOLE” if you do not have a Medicare Part D Plan that covers the
“Donut Hole Gap.” So don’t get a full
prescription until you know you will be taking this medication.
6.
Make sure you consider a
“MEDICARE
SUPPLEMENT PLAN
-
also called Medigap plans”
FIRST, before you choose a
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN. You have what is called a 63 day Guarantee Issue
Period in which to choose a Medicare Supplement Plan
-
also called Medigap
plans with
NO HEALTH QUESTIONS ASKED, and
almost NO PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS EXCLUDED.
7.
Remember, a Medicare Supplement Plan F is a Medicare Supplement Plan F, a
Medicare Supplement Plan J is a Medicare Supplement Plan J, no matter which
insurance company you choose. All these Medicare Supplement Plans
-
(also called
Medigap plans) are regulated by
the Centers for Medicare and contain the exact
SAME BENEFITS!
The only difference is the price you will pay for your premium. There is
no sense in paying more than you absolutely must pay to these insurance
companies, so do your homework and research all companies for the best price and
coverage for your individual needs! These Medicare Supplement Plans
-
(also called
Medigap plans) for 2009 will not
be available for comparisons until November 15, 2008.
8. If you get a MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN
first, you will possibly
FORFEIT
your right to get a Medicare Supplement Plan
- (also
called Medigap plans) with no
underwriting! (meaning
most all pre-existing conditions are covered). In
order to have a 12 month
trial period, you must first have had a
Medicare Supplement Plan policy
-
(also called Medigap
plans) before
joining a Medicare Advantage Plan. Some
GM retirees may think they want to try out a Medicare Advantage Plan. That is
your right to choose whatever plan is best for you.
HOWEVER, REMEMBER YOU NEED TO GET
A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN FIRST, SO IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
PLAN, YOU STILL CAN RETAIN YOUR RIGHT TO ENROLL IN A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT
PLAN
- (also
called Medigap plans)
WITH NO UNDERWRITING (meaning most
all pre-existing conditions are covered).
You could be turned down for health reasons if
you join a Medicare
Advantage Plan first.
Medicare Advantage Plans and the
agents (Extend Health & other insurance sales companies) sometimes will not tell
you about this VERY IMPORTANT CHOICE TO HELP YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISION. Why?……IT
MAY BE BECAUSE THEY GET PAID MORE commissions on
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS . The
commissions on these
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS may be at
least double the commissions on a
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN
- (also called
Medigap plans)........ When
you enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan
- (also
called Medigap plans),
the ONLY WAY YOU CAN BE denied the right to stay enrolled for life IS TO NOT PAY
YOUR PREMIUM, or if you cancel the policy. You are guaranteed coverage
for life, no matter what happens with your health. You DO NOT HAVE TO RE-ENROLL
EACH YEAR FOR YOUR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN
-
(also
called Medigap plans).
9.
Catastrophic Coverage - GM retirees lost
their Extended Care Coverage (ECC) effective 01-01-2009, so make sure you ask
the
Extend Health or
My Part D USA or other insurance company sales persons about
catastrophic coverage
and the cost!!! ECC is not the same as
Catastrophic Coverage, but
Catastrophic Coverage
is something you may really need in the future. Remember, if you were
enrolled in a 2008 GM Enhanced PPO program your maximum Out-Of-Pocket annual
expense was $2,000.00 Individual and $4,000.00 Family. Make certain
Extend Health or
My Part D USA or
other insurance company sales persons discuss what your Medicare plans
annual Maximum Out Of Pocket expenses will be.
10.
Most GM retirees will want to maintain the same coverage they had with GM.
Honestly, this will be very hard to do at any cost. You must, however, make
certain you are comparing
“Apples to Apples”
when deciding on which Medicare Plans you decide are best for you.
Additional Medicare Health Care information can be
found at this link:
http://overthehillcarpeople.com/medicarethingstoconsiderletter100708.htm .
We all have been
very concerned that GM Retirees will join plans that may be harmful for them
because of aggressive marketing of the Medicare Advantage Plans. If the
GM retiree makes a mistake on getting the right Medicare Plan for their needs,
it will probably be too late by the time they learn they have the wrong Medicare
Plan. Remember
all
of the people who try to sell you a Medicare Plan are sales people and will make
a commission on the Medicare Plan you purchase!!!
Folks, if we can
be of assistance, please visit our GM group of retirees at
www.overthehillcarpeople.com . You will find
an enormous amount of information that will help you at this difficult time for
all GM retirees. We have tried to get in touch with as many GM Retirees as
possible, but, of course, we don’t have any way to do that other than relying on
them to come to our website at
www.overthehillcarpeople.com .
Please forward this information to all of your
GM friends!
Regards,
******Over The Hill Car People is not an insurance company and we do not have
the expertise that insurance companies can provide. The information above is
provided to assist you with Medicare enrollment information only. You should
contact GM,
Extend Health,
My Part D USA,
www.medicare.org
and any other expert sources available to you BEFORE making any decisions. DO
NOT rely on the above information as the only source for making your important
Medicare decisions. Remember, every retiree's situation is different and you
should be the person to make the best decision for your personal and individual
needs!
'Life isn't
about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'
01234100708229